All in all it was a complete let down! The negotiations with The Harbourfront Centre which included conversations phone and in person, texts messages, emails to Sergio Elmir and Nadine McNulty were professional and very pleasant as we worked towards African Star included in the Island Soul vibe. The Brigantine Room is one of the most impressive rooms to host any kind of event! One of my favorite rooms in the city, as I was fortunate enough in the past, to host a Canadian Reggae Summit with the support of Dalton Higgins at the time. I knew that this venue was ‘prime’ for African Star! As we loaded up and Star blazed a few warm up tracks, we were well excited to “burn down the house” after Kabaka Pyramid was done on the big stage. We were ready for to create a historic vibe with African Star spinning, Kabaka coming by to jam and Star closing out the night with musical gems. Everything was going well... Then it wasn’t. Feeling the negative vibe I enquired from Star what was going on. He said, “They keep turning me down! Every time I catch a groove with the people, they turn me down!” A world renowned selecta like African Star was bridled. I went to the sound technician knowing what his answer was going to be and I made it clear that my fight was not with him. Unfortunately the night went downhill from there. The “vibe” left the room! The Toronto age old crisis of keeping the sound below 90 DBE was in effect. A perfectly natural reggae vibe was quashed by this fascist need by the wannabe-upper-crusty-condo-assholes who move into the heart of the city then complain about noise. This isn’t exactly news to anyone I know but something must give! We are TIRED of these talentless, soulless apes living high and mighty, like affluence is the calling card for the elite whiteness, that we are all expected to accept. Keep the job, the money and your stations in life yet it is time to allow those who LIVE, those who sing and dance and celebrate life to lead in this path. Club owners, bars and venues have to kowtow to these soulless apes that pollute the city with their conservativeness. I’m disappointed at the fact that I cannot bring the music the way that it is supposed to “feel”. They do not love it so for the ape, it is just “noise”. Tired of the apes! Our government, police forces, city officials protect the apes. I’m just venting as it is all I have...